The banging stops again. The silence is worse. The room seems to shrink around us. I exchange a worried glance with Sam.
I hear Liam’s voice on the phone. “You know, Addie, when I said you could ask me questions anytime, I didn’t mean this late—”
Naomi interrupts him, urgency in her voice, “It’s Naomi.”
Liam’s response is a simple “Oh.”
Sam snatches the phone from Naomi’s hand, her voice more direct and determined as she speaks. “Listen Liam, we need yourhelp. We wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t urgent, I already sent you the address.”
I wish she would cut to the chase, avoid the small talk. Every second counts right now, and I can practically hear the clock ticking in the back of my mind. Then, I notice a shift in Liam’s tone. “Put Adeline on the phone,” he instructs.
Sam’s about to say something in response, but I reach for the phone and take it from her because there’s no time to waste, and she’s wasting a lot of it.
“Liam, I need you to come to our house. I need you to drive here fast. Someone is breaking in,” I say, hating the trembling urgency in my voice.
For a brief moment, I hear nothing on the other end of the line, but I catch the sound of his breath. Then, Liam’s voice crackles faintly through the phone. “I’m on my way, Addie. Stay on the line with me.”
I glance at the phone screen, my heart lurching when I see the battery percentage.
Are. You. Joking?
Two percent?Seriously, Adeline, you couldn’t so much as charge your phone?
“Oh, crap,” I whisper. “Liam, my phone’s about to die.”
“What?” His voice tightens. “How low is it?”
“Two percent,” I say, my voice barely audible amidst the banging. The panic claws its way up my chest.
“Shit.” There’s a sharp intake of breath. “Addie, listen to me. Do you have a charger anywhere nearby?”
I quickly scan the room, my mind racing, my eyes darting.
We don’t own many chargers.
“No, not here,” I manage, my gaze landing on Sam and Naomi. “Sam,” I plead. “Where’s the nearest charger?”
Sam doesn’t hesitate. “My room.”
Naomi barely seems to register the conversation, her hands trembling as she clutches her knife, her face looking like she’s about to pass out.
Glass shatters downstairs, and Naomi gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. Sam’s goes pale.
“No way this is happening,” I mutter, my voice quivering under my breath. My fingers tighten around the phone, and I manage to whisper, though my voice wavers uncontrollably, “Liam… they’re in the house. Please be quick.”
“Can you get to it?” Liam asks, his voice cutting through the haze of fear.
In any other situation, I might have attempted it. “I don’t think so. Someone’s already inside the house.”
“Stay put then,” he says quickly. “Don’t take any chances. Keep the phone on as long as you can. Talk to me, Addie. What’s happening now?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice cracking. “There was glass breaking. I think they’re coming upstairs.”
For a moment, there’s only silence on his end. When he speaks again, his voice is softer, but no less urgent. “Addie, you’re going to be fine. Just keep talking to me. Is everyone with you?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
There’s a long pause, and I hear the faint hum of his car engine down the line. “Do you have a weapon?” he asks.
